Head of Impact at Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF)

Key Responsibilities

• Continue to develop and implement the Managing for Impact strategy and accompanying systems and tools to identify and maximize the depth and breadth of impact on the lives of people with low incomes from investments made by AECF.
• Craft measurement frameworks for impact evaluations of our programmes specifically for quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis (experience using web analytics software and survey tools is a plus).
• Manage, coordinate, and execute the collection of impact data (past and present) from AECF’s programme teams, partner organizations, and stakeholders, providing
• support for timely, accurate, and consistent reporting.
• Analyse, synthesize and produce critical insights that can easily inform multiple audiences across the institution (from management to the AECF Board Members) via storytelling media and platforms, strengthen evidence to inspire storytelling efforts and cultivate relationships with key partners.
• Engage with programme teams to help them envision and embed creative methods for impact measurement into the solutions they’re delivering for our partners at the concept note, design, competition, and implementation phases. Build capabilities in AECF teams regarding storytelling, impact depth and breadth, and different impact measurement approaches.
• Influence the field’s understanding of integrating measurement and evaluation into a design-led approach through storytelling and building practical tools that others can use in their work.
• Serve as the main point of contact to shape external evaluations and ensure alignment on impact metrics and methods for gathering data.
• Drive experimentation around data collection and analysis through new methodologies and tools.
• Quality control over all impact-related activities of AECF’s portfolio.
• Manage a team of Impact officers and experts operating from various offices across the continent in different programmes.

The Candidate

Suitable candidates should have the following:

• At least ten years of full-time work experience in research, impact measurement, and evaluation, preferably in a private sector development context and applying DCED standards.
• A master’s degree in international development, Economics, Mathematics, Communications or a related field.
• Experience working in international development and a deep understanding of the sector with a bias toward agribusiness, renewable energy and climate adaptation in Africa.
• Possess strong analytical, evaluation design, and methodological skills and utilizes “right-fit” methods for a broad range of quantitative and qualitative approaches to communicate a rigorous yet compelling story about AECF’s impact.
• Experience in survey methodology and monitoring social or environmental outcomes in a development context for private sector development.
• Experience working with or reporting to large bilateral funders or private foundations and is comfortable speaking their language.
• Ability to facilitate the process of turning impact data into meaningful stories.
• Excellent communication and writing skills, with a keen ability to synthesize and present complex data in a simple, compelling, meaningful way (the ability to produce beautiful and top-notch data visualization is a plus).
• Demonstrates a zeal for design thinking and utilizes multiple practices and mindsets of human-centred design, such as prototyping solutions and embracing ambiguity.
• Brings a positive mindset and attitude that continuously pushes the organization to accomplish its
• mission.
• Demonstrates a collaborative approach to decision-making and problem-solving, challenging and supporting colleagues to influence and inspire others to act.
• Ability to work with and lead cross-cultural teams.
• Fluency in English is a requirement. Language skills in French will be an added advantage.